Barbie’s Premiere is Eyeing an Unprecedented Opening at the Worldwide Box Office

The highly anticipated “Barbie” has finally debuted, exceeding all expectations. The cutting-edge comedy by Greta Gerwig is giving a tough competition to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer both domestically and internationally, boasting truly staggering numbers. It is on the path to make history with the highest opening weekend of the year at the domestic box office, with considerable attention from international markets as well.

On its initial release day, Barbie made a whopping $70 million at the domestic box office, which includes $22 million from Thursday previews alone. Current trends suggest that the film could gross more than $155 million across the opening weekend. Warner Bros., being a bit conservative, is aiming for $150 million, though some optimistic forecasts suggest it could reach as high as $160 million. The film is projected to earn $120 million from nearly 70 foreign markets, leading to a global total of approximately $280 million by Sunday, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. To put this in perspective, this total surpasses the $230 million that Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One garnered in its extended opening weekend just last week. Moreover, Dead Reckoning Part One had twice the production budget of Barbie, which reportedly cost around $145 million.

Barbie received an impressive A CinemaScore from first-day audiences and currently holds an impressive 90% score on the review aggregator site, Rotten Tomatoes. Ross Bonaime from FilmSweep also lauded the movie, stating “Barbie exemplifies how a unique concept can transform into something genuinely magnificent with the right team.” The favorable audience and critical reviews undoubtedly bode well for the movie’s future and the studio’s aspirations to develop a franchise.

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But how will Gerwig manage her recent commitment to direct two Narnia movies for Netflix? The success of Barbie could be attributed largely to Gerwig’s vision (in addition to excellent marketing by the studio). Gerwig, who started with the mumblecore movement, has now become one of the most sought-after directors. Her previous projects, Lady Bird and Little Women, were both critically acclaimed and commercial successes. Her involvement in any potential sequel to Barbie is crucial.

Barbie Sets New Benchmarks

Barbie is on the verge of becoming the most successful opening for a solo female director, surpassing Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman from 2017 and Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s Captain Marvel, which opened to $153 million in 2019. The film is also one of the biggest debuts for a female-oriented movie and is comparable to the later Hunger Games and Twilight films. The satirical narrative of the film, featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as the iconic Mattel dolls Barbie and Ken, explores themes of consumerism, feminism, and existentialism. The star-studded cast also includes Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Hari Nef, Emma Mackey, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, America Ferrera, Michael Cera, and many more. Stay tuned to FilmSweep for more updates and check out our exclusive interview with Robbie and Gosling.

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More about Barbie’s Box Office Records

• Greta Gerwig’s Directorial Achievements
• Box Office Records
• Barbie Movie Reviews
• Barbie’s Opening Weekend Projections
• Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling’s Roles